Do you think that competition, in itself, will push you to go further that you have gone before?  I believe that it can be a huge catalyst to pushing you beyond the limits that you thought you could reach.

At the same time, the lack of competition may represent true teamwork.  OK, great, now what do I do?  Compete or lay down and roll over?  I never said give up.  There is a big difference between “not competing” and  “throwing in the towel.”

I am currently with about 600 of my John Maxwell Team colleagues who will be focused on learning better and smarter ways to add value to each other this weekend.  One of the most impressive things about this team is that there is relatively no competition within the team.

Almost 3,000 worldwide, this team works to support each other.  Not only on an individual basis, but in our business building as well.  Individual success stories are often shared, but they are shared with the intent to teaching others how to do the same.  There are no trophies awarded or recognition for being “more successful” than the other members of the team.  That’s what makes this team different.

I have never been involved with a team of so many givers and in almost every case there is no expectation of anything in return.  We support and encourage each other and help in every way possible to take our teammates to the next level of success.

I find it interesting in such a competitive world that there is relatively little focus on competition or why the “Maxwell Philosophy” may be a better choice for coaching, training and speaking business opportunities.  The mindset is not an “either or” but a “in addition to.”

We have access to the resources created under the brand of the top “leadership guru” in the world and bring the most current thoughts in leadership development to the market place.  An international team of mentors, all in the top of their respective fields pour into us on a daily basis with the push to be the best we can be in whatever we do.

The idea of competition suggests a winner and a loser.  The Maxwell philosophy is about everyone winning.  By Monday night, there will be over 400 newly certified team members to head back into the world to add value to everyone they serve.

So is competition the catalyst to success?  Maybe yes and maybe no.  I believe that it depends on how you are defining success.  If success is beating out your competitor and gaining a contract, I suppose it could be said that competition was the drive that got you there.

If on the other hand, success is achieving the opportunity to add value and serve your client to help them reach their potential, than it’s not really about what you get, but what you give.  This is the true definition of servant leadership.  Servant leadership is part of the Maxwell philosophy and serving does not require competition, it required dedication and commitment.

So I have a question that should make you think a little harder than most of my questions but I think it’s an important one.  I have written many times that the better the question asked, the better the answer received.  So I would like to challenge you to ask a better question.

Instead of thinking about who you are competing against, consider what you are competing for.  Vince Lombardi said “It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game.”  I believe competition is not about who wins and who loses, it’s about what is gained in the process.  So what are you competing for?

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Barry Smith    8/9/13   photo by author   © Building What Matters 2013